Give Me One Reason
by Hendelnor
Summary: Logan is leaving again, but where Xavier and Rogue failed to make him see reason, Ororo succeeds. RoLo ***DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters written about in this story. They are own by Marvel.***


Logan hastily and decisively made his way to the garage, desperate to jump on his beloved motorcycle and escape the confines of the mansion. He had already said his goodbyes to Marie, who understood his need to get away. She was far from happy that he was leaving again, but nonetheless, understood the dynamics of his departure. Charles also knew he was leaving without him having to convey it and like Marie, he understood and gave him his space to handle his business.

Her scent hit him before he reached the garage door. That potent mixture of sandalwood, vanilla and freshly fallen rain. He knew she was just beyond the door, waiting for him. Logan growled softly, his speedy escape thwarted. She was the other reason for him leaving. She was getting to him, in ways he didn't want to remotely think about. His heart did a funny little dance, he got tongue-tied and his beast came alive whenever she was nearby. He didn't like it. Fuck it, he didn't have time for that shit. He didn't do relationships. Relationships meant commitment and commitment meant sticking around. But damn if he didn't think she was the most beautiful woman he ever laid eyes on. Sure Jean was beautiful too, but she did not and could not hold a candle to the weather manipulator. Sure he flirted with the redhead, but he wouldn't call what he felt for her love. In all honesty, he knew Jean did not want him and could not love him, but he continued throwing himself at her. Why? Because it help kept his beast at bay. His beast stayed continuously dormant whenever the good doctor was around and he got a kick out of raising the fearless leader's hackles. Ororo was powerful, yet gentle, gorgeous, smart, sophisticated, compassionate and if he was honest with himself, sexier than holy hell. His beast was always restless, yearning to come out whenever the wind rider was in the vicinity. It let Logan know in no uncertain terms that they had met their match in Ororo.

But she was also the fucking ice queen, always looking at him with disdain, like the dirt on the soles of her shoes held more value than he did. Whenever he came too close for comfort, or what she deemed close, she would immediately donned her frosty demeanor. He saw it in her eyes, her "I'm a Goddess, too good for the likes of you" attitude. He would be lying if he said that her attitude didn't affect him. Truth be told, it did, when he first came to the mansion and was getting his bearings. But now, he really couldn't care less. If she wanted to treat him like the animal he carried inside him and not a person, well fuck her and fuck it, many before her did and many still do. He sure as hell didn't need her, didn't need anyone. Okay, okay, scratch that, he needed someone, Marie and to some extent the bald headed telepath. They gave him some semblance of normalcy and that is as far as he was willing to admit what their purpose in his life was.

For a moment, Logan contemplated turning around and returning to his room and wait to make his escape when he knew she and everyone else were sleeping. Just as quickly, he realized his cowardice and frowned. He was the fucking Wolverine, not some pansy ass fraidy-cat. He growled again and forcefully pushed his way through the garage door. There she was standing a few feet away from his motorcycle, hands on her hips and tapping her left foot, as if she was waiting a long time for him to arrive. Immediately, her intoxicating scent rushed him and his beast inwardly howled appreciatively. He quickly appraised her attire, tight black yoga pants that contoured to her shapely and long legs, outlining her trimmed waist and hips and a white cotton midriff T-shirt that exposed her taut, flat stomach. His palms got damped and his mouth suddenly became voided of all moisture. Hell, he wanted her. He had no qualms about taking her at that very moment. But the sobering thought of her pumping his adamantium-laced body with thousands of volts of electricity rapidly dispelled his desire.

Ororo stood there silently watching him appraise her and inwardly hoping he liked what he saw. Her attraction to the feral bothered her. If she was honest with herself, it scared the living daylights out of her. What she feels for the surly mutant named Wolverine was unconceivable. She couldn't fathom the intensity and ferocity of her feelings and desires for him. What she felt for him, she had never felt before and she didn't know how to deal with the feelings, the needs and the desires. So to maintain her sanity, she avoided him like the plague and treated him as such. She acknowledged that treating Logan like the animal he carried in him was wrong and malicious. She was neither of those things, but she felt like it was the only recourse she had to take in order to maintain a grip on her emotions for the feral.

When she found out he was leaving again (the third time in two months), she overwhelming felt as if she had to do something. It was as if a primal force fixed her the herculean task of keeping the Wolverine at home. Knowing her feelings for the volatile man and his personality, she didn't relish the job at all. However, since Marie and the Professor had already gave up, she figured it was up to her, to keep him here, to show him he was valued and was needed and wanted. Oh, she knew that he harbored feelings of being unwanted and of being a liability. She felt shame and guilt in knowing that she aided in festering those negative feelings in him. She was no better than Scott who called him an animal constantly, no better than Jean who continuously led him on, dangling her feigned affections to keep his attention, no better than the others who saw him as a killer who would revert back to his old ways in a heartbeat.

When he was finished with his perusal of her, his steel gray eyes latched onto her sky blue ones. Her heart jumped and she became flushed, a delicious warmth pooling in her womanly center. Knowing that he can scent her arousal from a mile away, she created a gentle breeze to throw him off.

She arched her perfectly shaped eyebrow and delved right in. "Running again, Wolverine?"

He lightly sniffed the air and narrowed his eyes in suspicion. He could have sworn he smelled something akin to arousal, but hell, maybe he was losing what was left of his already chaotic mind with her being close by. "What's it ta ya?"

"The children's feelings, especially Marie's," Ororo retorted.

"Marie knows I'm leavin'. She doesn't have a problem wid it." He sauntered over to his bike and secured his duffel bag.

"Are you sure about that, Wolverine?"

He turned to face her, quirking his eyebrow at her. He knew what she was about, using Marie to get him to stay at the mansion. They did this song and dance previously and frankly, he was sick of it. "Whateva. Marie knows why and that's all that matters ta me."

Storm glared at him. "So her feelings do not matter to you? She moping around here like she's lost the single most important person in her life isn't of any consequence to you?"

She knew she was skating on thin ice when his nostrils flared and his eyes dilated, but she pushed on. "You are not here to see what your constant leaving does to her Logan. I see her wilt away slowly, the life draining out of her when you are off with your head up your ass feeling sorry for yourself."

Logan growled menacingly and slowly made his way over to where she was standing. He purposefully approached her threateningly, forcing her to back away until she ran out of space and was trapped between the wall and his hard, muscular body. She stifled a groan and held his gaze head on. He placed one hand on the wall on both sides of her head and held her stare. "Why da fuck do ya care if I stay or go, Storm?"

She sensed he was slowly losing control, as he tended to curse when he was angry. "Huh? Ya of all people should be glad when I leave."

She continued to stare at him, at a temporary loss for words. Her heart beating fast and her breathing shallow, she frantically tried in vain to squelch the raw desire she felt coming on with him so close. She took a few breaths to gain some semblance of control. By the Goddess, she started this and she was going to finish it, come hell or high water.

After what seemed like an eternity, she regained her power of speech. "I care because of Marie, Charles and the children and what your absence do to them. Someone has too."

"Why da fuck should I care? Huh? Answer me dat since ya seem ta have all da fuckin' answers." He pushed himself away from the wall and from her, overwhelmed by her potent scent. His jeans tightened as he grew hard and he quickly turned away from her, hiding his erection.

Ororo used the opportunity to get a grip on her emotions. She took several deep calming breaths. She eyed Logan as he made his way over to his bike and knocked the kickstand up with his booted heel. Realizing her time to get through to him was running out, she decided to play dirty. "You know Wolverine, of all the things I have pegged you for, a coward was not even on the list."

If she thought that he was going to take her bait, she was sorely mistaken. "I've been called worse, Storm. Gimme one reason ta stay here." With that he started to walk the bike outside.

Her next words stopped him dead in his tracks. "What if I told you I wanted you to stay, Logan?"

Logan snorted his disbelief. "I guess hell musta frozen over."

She slowly made her way over to stand in front of him and his bike, keeping her eyes leveled with his. "The children are not the only ones who miss you when you leave." She carefully gauged his reaction with her next words. "I miss you, too."

He visibly stiffened and blinked rapidly. Even with his enhanced hearing, he was positive he couldn't have heard her correctly. Ororo looked at him intently, observing all of his reactions. Disbelief was most evident on his ruggedly handsome face. "You do not believe that I, Ororo Munroe, miss you when you leave?"

"Ya've never gave me reason ta believe that." Realizing he was still holding the bike up, he lowered the kickstand, all the while keeping his eyes on the puzzle before him. He knew she was sincere as he couldn't smell any form of deceit rolling off of her. He was having a helluva hard time trying to figure her out at that moment. Before him wasn't the ice queen that he normally get, but the caring mother hen. To say he was confused would be an understatement.

Ororo felt hope flared within her as she took in his confusion. She knew from the look on his face that, he believed she'd lost her mind or was plain stupid. She gave him a tentative smile in hopes he'll recognize her sincerity. She tried not to wilt under his intense stare, but found it difficult. She needed to play her cards right. The next few minutes will either make or break the entire situation and quite possibly her future. Suddenly, he moved closer to her, his penetrating gaze on her. Ororo took a tentative step back to put distance between him and the sudden desire that flared in her. She didn't move quickly this time in throwing him off of her scent and she knew he smelled it if his smirk and raised brow were any indication. She continued to put distance between them, but it was hopeless as for every step back she took, he took one forward.

Her heady scent mixed with her arousal was driving him to distraction. His beast flared to life and began clawing for escape, but he used his control to will it to stay in place. _Take her...ours...take her_ , it chanted continuously. He felt as if his jeans were cutting off the circulation as they grew tighter with his rapidly growing erection. Wanting her as desperately as he did, he was beyond caring if she noticed the bulge in his jeans or not. He smirked that cocky smirk of his when he noticed her blues widening as she stared at his crotch. "See somethin' ya like?"

She gave him a nasty look, completely ignoring his obnoxious question. She was intent on finishing what she started, however, she wasn't as confident as she was when she earlier accosted him. "Logan, can we discuss this like mature adults please?" She pointedly asked him.

"Sure. I'm just waitin' fer ya ta finish what ya started," he smirked.

Ororo groaned. "I should have just let you leave."

"Why's dat Storm? Ya're hell bent on keepin' me here."

She didn't know how, what or why. But at that moment, she made the decision to be honest with him for the first time since they met. Besides, she suspected that honesty was the best policy when dealing with the Wolverine. She glanced down at her shoes while she gathered her thoughts. She sighed and took a deep breath, getting ready to spill her guts. She slowly brought her eyes to level with his and what she saw in his eyes completely took her breath away and gave her the courage to plough full steam ahead. "Walk with me Logan. There is much I need to say."

She turned and began walking towards the gigantic oak tree about fifty yards away from the mansion, with Logan dutifully following. When they arrived at the tree, Ororo turned around. Not realizing Logan was following so closely, she bumped into him. His hands immediately went around her waist to steady her. She blushed at the intimate contact and Logan growled softly. She gave him a small smile in gratitude when he released her. Needing to put distance between himself and the enchanting nymph, he walked over to the tree and leaned against the trunk, peering at her through hooded eyes, hoping all along that she didn't notice the raw need and naked desire he knew were evident in his eyes. He knew he failed when she confidently walked up to stand in front of him. Logan visibly jumped when a small slender hand reached out and stroke his whiskered cheek.

Not expecting the delicate caress, Logan took a cautious step away from her. "I'm not going to hurt you, Logan."

"Yer a damn puzzle," he muttered.

"Is that a compliment?"

"Honestly, I dunno. But it's da truth. I haven't been able ta figure ya out since I got here."

She smiled at his admission, feeling a warmth spread over her at what it implied. "You have been trying to figure me out?"

"Yes. I like ta figure out who I'm workin' fer and workin' with."

"Is that the only reason, Logan?"

Logan fidgeted uncomfortably at her soft inquiry. She was beginning to make him off balance with her caresses and deep questions. So instead of stepping up to the plate and revealing his true feelings, he decided to bluff his way out of the strange situation. "What other reason can there be 'Ro?"

She raised an eyebrow at the name. One of his quirks were nicknames for everyone in the mansion. He's never called her anything beyond Storm or Miss Munroe. She now assumed that this was the one he reserved for her. "'Ro?"

Aww fuck! He went and did it. Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! 'Ro was his special name for her. No one knew that except for him. It was his way of maintaining some form of intimacy with her, the name he called out in his dreams and fantasies of her, the name he called out when he took to relieving himself. But now, here he was revealing it to the woman herself. "Yeah, well it suits ya."

She smiled at his embarrassed reply. "I had thought that you reserved a nickname for everyone else except me."

"It's more dan dat." He closed his eyes and silently cursed at his slip.

He didn't know that she had move to be standing in front of him again, until he felt both of her hands on each side of his face. He had no choice but to stare into her lovely, beguiling eyes. He knew then that he was fucked in more ways than one. "What does that mean, Logan?"

He had to get away from her. She was oozing pure sex at that very moment. He knew that he was a hair's breadth away from tossing her on the ground and slamming into her sweetness over and over again. He growled and roughly removed her hands from his face. Stepping away from her, he snarled. "Nuttin'. It means nuttin'. What da hell do ya want, Storm? Ya said ya had much to say. So say it already."

She wasn't dejected by his reaction. If anything she was thrilled. She knew that his defense mechanism was firmly in place. She knew this because for that one split second before he stepped away from her, she saw it all in his magnificent eyes. Fear, need, lust, want. She jumped for joy on the inside, careful to not let her happiness show. She couldn't believe it. The big bad Wolverine felt fear all because he desired her, wanted her as much as she did him. Her sudden epiphany gave her that final ounce of courage she needed. She pushed full steam ahead. "Do you know that I will always get mad at you for leaving and not telling me goodbye?" She meandered over to him, taking in his look of disbelief. "I do miss you when you leave, Logan. Always."

He was stunned. He sniffed the air to make sure the real Ororo was standing before him. He inhaled her unique sandalwood, vanilla, freshly fallen rain mixture, confirming that indeed it was his 'Ro. _His 'Ro? 'Yeah dumbass, she's ours. Claim her.' "_ Ya've always ignored me, Storm. Treated me like I didn't exist."

She lowered her eyes in shame. "I know. I have not treated you kindly or fairly and I am ashamed of that." She looked up at him, her eyes full of remorse and regret. "I hope that you can forgive me for that Logan. Forgive me my unfairness, my pride, my stupidity."

What was it with this woman and rendering him speechless? Hell, this was the third time in one single afternoon. Logan opened his mouth to speak but promptly closed it. This moment was important to him and as far as he can tell, it was important to her too. He needed to say the right words, needed to make her realize that despite his callousness, he was still human.

"What do ya want from me?"

"You."

Logan stared at her, shell shocked, as her simple reply washed over him. He couldn't have heard her correctly. He was either dreaming or she was fucking nuts.

She read his thoughts. "It is not a dream and I am definitely not crazy."

Disbelief was evident on his face as he continued to look at her. "Can we be honest wid each other?"

"I would like that."

Logan nodded and took a deep breath before he continued. "Look, 'Ro. I like ya. Like ya a lot and fer a long time."

Ororo squelched the rush of joy that threatened to bubble to the surface. Her eyes held his captive. "I like you too, Logan. As a matter of fact I have from the very beginning."

"So why ya treated me da way ya did?"

The hurt she heard in his voice was her undoing. "I am sorry, Logan. But I was afraid. So damn afraid of what I felt for you. My desire for you only intensify every time I see you or when you are near."

His beast roared. Its mate wanted him too. "Fuck darlin'. Ya don't know what ya do ta me."

Silently they stared into each other's eyes, his so piercing and alight with need, hers soft and awash with desire. Unconsciously, they drew closer together and she saw her hand move of its own accord and touch the contours of his face. His eyes involuntarily closed, relishing her caress.

When her fingers lightly touched the corner of his mouth, his eyes snapped open. His hesitation seemed to stretch out for an eternity before he made a hungry, mating sound and lowered his lips to hers. Ororo responded by slightly parting her lips. When his tongue touched the seams of her lips, he prodded them gently to gain access inside.

He growled low and long as his tongue delved into the warm inside of her mouth, swirling deep, mating with hers. Their mouths were sealed as he angled his head and she tilted hers to correspond with his movement.

Ororo had never received such a blatantly carnal kiss. He shamelessly imitated lovemaking, boldly stroking the interior of her mouth with his tongue until she gasped breathlessly. He touched his forehead to hers as they both struggled to breath in large amounts of air.

"Damn darlin'."

Ororo grinned, sinking her hands into his thick, surprisingly soft hair. "Yes, damn."

The corners of his mouth lifted into a smirk. "So what happens now, 'Ro?"

"Are you going to stick around to find out?"

"Yer gonna have ta convince me ta stick around."

She gave him a brilliant smile. "That can be arranged."

Before the last word was out of her mouth, it was being kissed by hot, fervent lips. Arms of steel wrapped around her and pressed her into his body that radiated with lust. She didn't and couldn't resist when his tongue plunged inside and stroked every corner. Her passion rose with every stroke of his tongue and she began to move against his hard body, seeking fulfillment for the emptiness inside her. She swayed as he pulled away and were it not for his arms, she would have fell to the ground.

Her slow, easy smile brought a rare smile to his face, fully emphasizing his handsome features. "How about we continue this conversation inside?"

"Sure darlin'. Whateva ya want."

She turned and clasped his hand tightly as they walked back to where he parked his motorcycle. The man and the beast were both jubilant. Their mate wanted, no desired them. His beast's chant of possession was now steadfast and louder. _Ours…Ours…Take…Take._ Logan knew he had to acknowledge his feral's needs and discuss it with the woman firmly holding his hand, but for now, he wanted to take pleasure in and appreciate the feelings coursing through him at this very moment. His chance at some form of happiness was finally within his reach and he was going to hold on to it for dear life.

Ororo herself was feeling an overwhelming sense of contentment. Logan wanted her, not Jean as he had alluded to all this time. She laughed inwardly and wondered how the redheaded attention whore was going to handle the new developments. She was hesitant to bring up the topic of Jean so soon after their reconciliation, but she knew it was a topic that had to be addressed sooner rather than later.

They were now standing next to the bike, when she reached over and unlatched his duffel bag and held it firmly. She gave him a sweet smile. "Just in case."

Logan erupted in laughter. "Wouldn't dream of leavin' now darlin'."

At the same time, in Charles Xavier's office, he turned to the white streaked auburn hair mutant standing beside him. She rose a questioning brow to the Professor, who only nodded his affirmation to her silent question. "Ah guess ah'll thank Ororo later."

The Professor smiled. He had known if anyone can keep make the Wolverine see reason, it would be Ororo. In one of his previous sessions with Logan, he had learned that the mutant's feral half had claimed Ororo as its mate. He had kept it to himself, hesitant to reveal it to the gruff Canadian because he had also learned that Logan's human half was struggling with accepting his feelings for Ororo. He smiled again, pleased that the two stubborn mutants had arrived at a place where they can get to know the true natures of each other and explore their feelings for each other.

"Yes, it seems where we failed, our dear Ororo was successful."

Xavier and Rogue smiled at each other, both recognizing that this was the beginning of something unique and profound between the son of the wild and the daughter of nature.


End file.
